It’s the height of the rainy season and it just keeps on falling with no sign of stopping, downpour after drizzle, and no end in sight. It’s hard to hear over all the water crashing down on your roof, but an incessant drip has started up somewhere. That’s when you look up at the ceiling and horror of horrors, you see a dark, wet patch has formed and it’s spreading! You have a leak in your roof!
The worst thing is that when you climb up into your attic you can’t figure out where it’s coming from! That’s the trouble, water runs away from you when you go looking for it, and it doesn’t want to be found! Even if you do find it you are not equipped to make a major repair on your own, so your best option is to ring up your local reliable plumbers to come out and save your home from becoming a giant rain barrel! Now let’s learn a bit about leaky roofs and what we can do to detect them before the drips start dripping!
Roofs are pretty durable, but nothing lasts forever, and over the years’ time and weather will take their toll. The following are some things to watch for that might mean your roof has a leak!
Dripping Water – Once the water starts dripping on you inside your home, you can be sure you have a leaky roof! When water starts flowing into your home it’s critical that you take fast action to prevent more damage from occurring.
Water dripping indoors isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a pathway leading to disaster! Even a little water can be extremely destructive, breaking down your ceiling material, weakening your walls, and seeping into your floors.
Water soaks into carpets making them a home for moulds and harmful bacteria, destroys expensive hardwood floors, and can even cause the structural elements in your house to weaken and collapse, a very dangerous problem to be sure! The longer the leak drips, the more money you will have to pay to fix the damage.
Damp Spots – Be on the lookout for dark patches on your walls and ceilings, these are usually telltale signs that rainwater is getting in past your roof! These damp spots can progress into rotting wood and dissolving plasterboard, causing expensive damage to your home!
Damp Attics – This is the first place to check if you suspect a leak, but it may not be obvious. The water damage can be subtle at first and everything might look just fine! It’s time to do the touch test, feel around the wood and insulation to find out if it’s wet. Also look for mold and mildew, that’s a sure sign that water is coming in.
Musty Smells – If there is a musty smell in your home it’s another sure sign that something is wet. Water entering your home through holes or cracks in the roof gives life to colonies of mould and mildew, fungal growths that thrive in damp, dark places. A potent smell is your first warning of a roof leak.
Once you think you have a leaky roof it’s important to get professional help quick!
Read Next: 7 Key Signs You Need A New Roof